Application of GIS to build earthquake emergency response system for urban area

A GIS based decision-making system was designed for earthquake emergency response for city governments. The system could be used for seismic hazard assessment, earthquake damage and losses evaluation, emergency response and post-earthquake recovering. The principle, design criteria, structure and functions of the system were described in details. The system is composed of four parts: an information-and data-base, analytical modules, a decision-making subsystem and a user interface. The information-and data-base consists of 68 coverages. There are also 28 analytical modules established in the system for generating isoseismals of scenario earthquake, site effects estimation, damage and losses evaluation and decision-making for rescue, relief, evacuation and other emergency response actions. As an illustration, the operation of this system for reoccurrence of a historical earthquake was demonstrated.